I know I should basically just get the parking break fixed, and I've tried it myself and had the dealer do it, it worked about a week. Short of having a friend help me track it down when I get the time, do line locks leak down if the engine is running? That's basically what I need in winter. I know they leak down but is there less potential at idle? Mainly only in my driveway for warmup and not the safest route, but as sort of a band-aid till I can get someone that knows what there doing here? I always park it in gear but hate shutting it off to run in the house for 2 minutes.

 

And just exactly how is a line lock going to make that situation any different for you?

Even if you were to wire the line lock to a toggle switch instead of a momentary switch, how would having a line lock be any different for you to run inside the house with the engine running?

Stewart

 

Good question...it was something suggested to me by someone as a temp fix as I've had no luck in getting anyone to fix the normal one. Was more looking for if this is something even possible to do which probably isn't. As for the stock brake.....anyone have any idea what could make it not always grab? Replaced the pk brk. shoes, cables.......

 

Ok, lemme ask you this: How will having a parking brake work properly change whatever situation you're in to allow you to leave the engine running and run in the house? Why can't you just leave your engine running the way it is right now, in "PARK" and run inside the house?

Stewart

 

I think he has a stick shift! Parking brakes suck on are trucks. I rebuilt mine shoes and all, and my shoes looked new and they still don't hold that great.

 

Note to self: When a post lacks necessary info, remember to always look at the sig, not just sometimes...all the time.

Thanks 'nanza! It makes perfect sense now.

Stewart

 

In the first post it says he parks in gear, I figured it was a stick shift. The line lock idea is something I would think of to over complicate a simpler but normal fix. I can't answer about bleed off but it sounds like a parking brake on a bigger truck with electro/hydraulic brakes. Those bigger medium duty trucks have electric pumps to build assist pressure instead of the power steering pump and would have a Parking brake button that would pressurize the brakes at the wheels. Also air brake trucks have parking brake buttons, but their systems aren't comparable. They cut air to the wheels and rely on mechanical springs to engage the parking brake mechanism, as a fail safe in the event of loss of I air pressure I believe. I would imagine if you left the line lock valve energized it would hold your brakes a while. A ball valve in your home plumbing system never leaks, and they use those in machinery to block off high pressure hydraulic systems as well. I like your thinking. Let us know what you come up with. Hope any of my info is helpful.

 

I use hydraulic ball valves on my offroad rigs. Press the pedal, shut the valve and the brakes stay locked. They make kits that will blow the horn if pressure starts the leak off, but they are pricey.

 

The part that always fails is the lever that the cable attaches to at the wheel - it rusts and seizes. You can see the new part above the lithium grease packet in the photo here.

 

An electric line lock will work fine and it will hold pressure for the few minutes you are talking about.

 

The only thing I didn't replace in mine was the drum it self. And it looked new. I did rough it up some but still didn't hold that good. Maybe with a new or turned drum it would of been better. Lots of complaints on our emergency brakes. Lots of cables breaking also. The only cable that ford would replace was the one on the stick shifts per DOT!

 

I had to replace the parking brake cable in two places AND get a new peddle assembly. If it is not "locking" it is the pedal assembly "teeth" are worn. Worked for me.

 

Wouldn't a wheel chock with a string on it be easier than horsing around with your brake lines?

 

Exactly what I was think. Wheel chock it, much simpler and cheaper.